Health
Ozempic, other weight-loss drugs may strengthen New Year's resolutions, experts say: Health goal 'boost'
New year, new motivation?
For 2024, some of the most common New Year’s resolutions include adopting fitness and diet regimens, plus losing weight, according to a Forbes survey.
As weight-loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy peak in popularity, experts believe these meds could make it more likely that people stick with their resolutions.
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Galit Shokrian, a Los Angeles-based CEO and co-founder of the online weight loss program Trimly, agreed that the widespread use of GLP-1s will impact the way people approach New Year’s goals.
GLP-1 agonists, which include semaglutides, are medications that help to reduce blood sugar and aid in weight loss.
“Semaglutides are a total game-changer in New Year’s resolutions this year,” she told Fox News Digital.
As weight-loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy peak in popularity moving into the New Year, semaglutide experts believe these meds could make it more likely that people will stick with their resolutions. (iStock; SEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP via Getty Images)
Millions of Americans make resolutions to lose weight each year — but 40% to 50% give up by the end of January, according to Shokrian.
“The introduction of semaglutide and tirzepatide treatments are finally allowing overweight women and men to not only lose the weight, but successfully keep it off,” she said.
(Tirzepatide, another GLP-1 medication, is sold under the brand name Mounjaro.)
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“They kickstart a new lifestyle for someone who needs a boost in getting to their health goals.”
Losing weight via medication “staves off future health complications, increases confidence, increases sex drive and allows patients to become more active,” Shokrian noted.
Galit Shokrian, co-founder and CEO of Trimly, said semaglutide and tyrzepatide treatments are “finally allowing overweight women and men to not only lose the weight, but successfully keep it off.” (Myles Pettengill III)
Colin Banas, M.D., M.H.A., Virginia-based chief medical officer at the medication data platform DrFirst, said in a statement to Fox News Digital that he’s “never seen a therapy adopted so quickly.”
He said, “Our research shows that 80% of Americans believe more people will take these drugs for weight loss in the future, most stating it will become the norm.”
Semaglutide medications have “transformed” lives, effecting “dramatic results” for people who previously had complications with weight loss, Banas added.
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Avantika Waring, 9amHealth’s chief medical officer and a trained physician and endocrinologist in San Francisco, noted that these previous complications have led to many failed resolutions.
“So many people make weight-loss resolutions for the New Year but find the months ahead to be challenging and frustrating because weight-loss and lifestyle changes are not easy to maintain,” she told Fox News Digital.
Wegovy is an injectable prescription weight-loss medicine that has helped people with obesity. (Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
With the aid of semaglutide and related drugs, Waring said people are seeing quicker success with their weight-loss efforts.
“I predict this will get them even more motivated to make resolutions and stick with them, because they’re more likely to see a real impact,” she said.
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Insurance plans, said the physician, often require a “demonstrated commitment to lifestyle change” in order for people to access these drugs.
“So it will be even more important to start with a firm commitment to a healthy lifestyle to ‘supercharge’ those New Year’s resolutions,” she said.
Colin Banas, Virginia-based chief medical officer at the medication data platform DrFirst, said he’s “never seen a therapy adopted so quickly.” (DrFirst)
Although semaglutide treatments are “quickly changing the paradigm” for how people approach weight loss, Banas said it’s important to remember that it is “not a magic wand.”
He added, “For sustained weight loss, people will still need to exercise and follow a healthy diet.”
“Semaglutide and tyrzepatide treatments are finally allowing overweight women and men to not only lose the weight, but successfully keep it off.”
A recent study by Morgan Stanley found that weekly exercise doubled — rising from 35% to 71% — after participants began taking weight-loss medication.
Teddy Savage, national lead trainer at Planet Fitness in Maryland, told Fox News Digital that he doesn’t foresee fitness motivation decreasing in 2024.
A Planet Fitness gym in New York is pictured on Nov. 2, 2023. Teddy Savage, national lead trainer at Planet Fitness, told Fox News Digital that he doesn’t foresee fitness motivation decreasing in the New Year. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“The COVID-19 pandemic opened people’s eyes to the importance of getting and staying healthy, so I’d say more people are making their health a priority,” he said.
“We always see more people committing to their fitness goals in the New Year, which is great,” he added. “We encourage everyone to start slow, set achievable goals and enjoy the journey.”
He also said, “It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
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Despite the growing popularity and availability of weight-loss drugs, Savage said staying active should remain a priority.
“Physical activity is always a key ingredient to overall health and well-being, and we believe it’s important to prioritize fitness no matter the time of year,” he said.
A recent study by Morgan Stanley found that weekly exercise rose from 35% to 71% after participants began taking weight-loss medication. (iStock)
Savage also noted that mental health is just as important as physical health. “It’s not just how you look, it’s how you feel.”
Said Savage, “Regular exercise benefits your heart, muscles and body, but exercise also has immense mental health benefits. It can help you sleep better, feel less stressed, and ready to tackle all that 2024 brings.”
For optimal wellness, Savage said it’s important to have a “full-body workout consisting of both cardio and strength training while eating a balanced, nutritious diet.”
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Health
Cancer survivors saw major improvements in sleep and well-being with one weekly practice
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Yoga is known to boost relaxation, strength and flexibility – and now a new study has found the practice could improve cancer survivors’ quality of life.
A randomized trial led by the University of Rochester Medical Center found that a four-week yoga program significantly reduced insomnia, fatigue, anxiety and mood disturbances after cancer treatment.
The findings were presented last week at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago.
CANCER SURVIVORS MAY SEE SURPRISING BENEFITS FROM ONE SPECIFIC EXERCISE, STUDY SAYS
The study was conducted across multiple U.S. community cancer care sites, including 410 adult cancer survivors averaging 54 years of age. Around 75% were breast cancer survivors, and none of them had practiced yoga regularly within the prior three months.
A randomized trial led by the University of Rochester Medical Center found that a four-week yoga program significantly reduced insomnia, fatigue, anxiety and mood disturbances in cancer survivors. (iStock)
The participants were randomly assigned to two groups. Half of them received only standard survivorship care without the yoga, while the other half received standard care and were also enrolled in the Yoga for Cancer Survivors (YOCAS) program.
As part of the YOCAS program, the survivors completed two instructor-led 75-minute yoga sessions each week, including 18 Gentle Hatha yoga and Restorative yoga poses, breathing exercises and mindfulness training.
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Based on questionnaires completed by the patients, the survivors in the yoga group experienced “moderate-to-large” reductions in overall mood disturbance, “small-to-medium” reductions in anxiety and “medium-to-large” reductions in fatigue, the study found.
The improvements in mood and fatigue appeared to be linked to yoga’s beneficial effect on sleep quality, according to the researchers.
As part of the YOCAS program, the survivors completed two instructor-led 75-minute yoga sessions each week, including 18 Gentle Hatha yoga and Restorative yoga poses, breathing exercises and mindfulness training. (iStock)
“This indicates that cancer survivors have an option to alleviate these cancer-related side effects at the same time, without adding another drug,” lead investigator Yuri Choi, PhD, of the Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, in Rochester, New York, told Fox News Digital.
The study did not reveal any major safety concerns or serious adverse events related to the yoga practice.
“This indicates that cancer survivors have an option to alleviate these cancer-related side effects at the same time, without adding another drug.”
The study did have some limitations, chiefly that the findings are preliminary and have not yet been peer-reviewed for a medical publication.
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“The sample in our clinical trial was relatively homogeneous, with most participants being women (96%), breast cancer patients (75%), Caucasian (93%), and having some college or higher education (82%),” noted Choi.
“We are adapting our intervention to reach all cancer patients and survivors, including the creation of a mobile app to reach people in rural communities.”
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The research also excluded patients with metastatic cancer (whose disease had spread to other parts of the body).
The total study was only four weeks, so more research is needed to determine long-term benefits.
If the findings are confirmed by peer-reviewed publications, this could lead to recommendations for structured yoga programs as a non-drug supportive therapy for cancer survivors, the researchers noted. (iStock)
If the findings are confirmed by peer-reviewed publications, this could lead to recommendations for structured yoga programs as a non-drug supportive therapy for cancer survivors, the researchers noted.
Some yoga studios may use different names for Gentle Hatha and Restorative yoga, such as Foundations Yoga or Healing Yoga, Choi noted.
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“Survivors should also look for certified yoga instructors who have experience working with cancer patients/survivors or individuals with other challenging health conditions,” the researcher advised. “They should not be afraid to ask their oncology team for referrals to qualified instructors in their community.”
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Choi also noted that the research did not reveal whether other types of yoga, such as heated-room or rigorous-flow yoga, are safe or beneficial for cancer survivors.
The study was funded by the National Cancer Institute.
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